Weekend Reading, Watching -- and Fun

Reading

The Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University released a new study showing that children select and prefer the taste of food with branded characters on the packaging -- even if the food inside is identical. Marketers know this and deliberately market unhealthy foods to children with this kind of manipulative advertising. Read the report at: www.yaleruddcenter.org/resources/upload/docs/what/advertising/LicensedCharacters_Pediatrics_7.10.pdf

Then, if you didn't get a chance to tell McDonald's to stop using characters to market junk food to children, scroll back to Monday's post and follow the link.

If you have a subscription the WSJ, you can also read this article describing the Vidalia Onion Growers Association's highly successful use of the character Shrek to sell more onions. Now that's using their powers for good - http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703964104575335053597527716.html

The Center for Science in the Public Interest (yes, I love them) has a new report potentially linking petroleum-based artificial food dyes Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6 with cancer. Read the report at http://www.cspinet.org/new/201006291.html and then check your refrigerator.

Watching

If you missed yesterday's house committee hearings on the reauthoriztion of the child nutrition act, you can catch them on YouTube - search on the bill number - HR5504.

And Fun....

The Planting Fields has a program this afternoon at 2:30 called "What's in the Woods" which teaches children ages 6-11 how animals live in the woods. Cost is $35. Call 516.922.8682 for details. They are also hosting art classes for ages 8-13 every Friday in July.

The New York Botanical Gardens continues their Edible Garden over the July 4th weekend with cooking demonstrations and a berry theme. See www.nybg.org. Lots of hands-on activities for kids including their 'flowers to fruits' exhibit and 'farm to table' activities.

Finally, from Healthy Schools Campaign - a 4th of July recipe:

Festive Fourth of July Watermelon Stars

Watermelon
Popsicle sticks
Star-shaped cookie cutter

Cut fresh watermelon into one-inch slices. Use the cookie cutter to cut star-shaped pieces of watermelon. Add a Popsicle stick to each of the watermelon stars. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet, cover with a sheet of foil, and freeze for one hour. Enjoy!

Sara